Rules and Regulations

STORRS CEMETERY ASSOCIATION, INC. RULES AND REGULATIONS As of May, 2017

Revision Date: December 12, 2017

Cemeteries are precious and fragile records of the Town's history. It is important to keep these cemeteries intact, to preserve the artwork of the carvers as well as the integrity of the cemetery as a whole. Therefore, please understand that:

The Storrs Cemetery Association, originally known as The Mansfield Burial Ground, is a private, non-profit Association for the burial of persons of all faiths.

• The cemetery grounds are the private property of the Storrs Cemetery Association. The right of admittance is reserved and is limited to the hours between sunrise and sunset.

• All persons shall respect the solemnity of the cemetery and strictly observe these rules and regulations, which have been established for the purpose of securing quiet and good order at all times within the cemetery.

• Reasonable efforts are made to protect approved memorials, flowers, trees, and shrubs, but the Association disclaims responsibility for any damage or injury thereto.

• Children will be permitted to the grounds only if accompanied by an adult who shall be responsible for the child's conduct.

• The Association, acting through the Sexton or other appropriate official, may expel from the cemetery or cause to be arrested for trespassing any persons disturbing its sanctity by noisy, boisterous, or other inappropriate conduct, or any person violating any of the rules or regulations.

• There shall be no decorations, adornment, placing of monuments, inscriptions, or plantings except as expressly permitted under these rules. The right is reserved by the Association/Sexton to enter upon any gravesite/lot and prohibit, modify or remove any object, adornment, inscription, planting, or work done contrary to these rules.

• When an owner or both joint owners die without making disposition of a gravesite(s), they shall be held and reserved as the family interment space of the original owner(s) Descendents.

• In the family interment space, one gravesite may be used for the owner's interment, (one for the joint owner, if any) and one for the owner's spouse who has a vested right of interment. The children and parents of the deceased owner(s) acquire vested rights of interment in any remaining graves and may be interred in order of death without the consent of any other person claiming any interest in such interment space. If no child or parent survives, the vested right of interment goes in order of death to the spouse of any child of the owner(s) and then to the next heirs-at-law of the owner(s).

• Unused gravesites that cannot be utilized by the owner(s) may be returned to the association for the original purchase price. The owner shall not have any right to sell, transfer, exchange, or in any manner dispose of any gravesite without the written permission of the secretary.

• Automobiles shall be limited to the asphalt-surfaced road for movement and its shoulders for parking to avoid damage to the turf and creating ruts. Handicapped persons requiring transportation to visit a gravesite are an exception. However, when the ground is soft this exception is withdrawn.

• All gravesites will be furnished with perpetual care, which shall include regular mowing and Trimming of grass. The restoration of a grave that settles and reseeding when necessary will be done during the year after burial. Leaning or fallen monuments, after their first year, will be uprighted as funds permit. Perpetual care does not include maintenance, repair, or replacement of monuments or markers during their first year.

• When an owner or both joint owners die without making disposition of a gravesite(s), they shall be held and reserved as the family interment space of the original owner(s) Descendents.

• In the family interment space, one grave site may be used for the owner's interment, (one for the joint owner, if any) and one for the owner's spouse who has a vested right of interment. The children and parents of the deceased owner( s) acquire vested rights of interment in any remaining graves and may be interred in order of death without the consent of any other person claiming any interest in such interment space. If no child or parent survives, the vested right of interment goes in order of death to the spouse of any child of the owner(s) and then to the next heirs-at-law of the owner(s).

• Unused gravesites that cannot be utilized by the owner(s) may be returned to the association for the original purchase price. The owner shall not have any right to sell, transfer, exchange, or any manner dispose of any gravesite without the written permission of the secretary.

• The sexton shall be authorized to sell gravesites and act on behalf of the Association in the activities described herein.

• The association shall periodically set the price for each gravesite.

• A Certificate of Burial Rights shall be prepared by the secretary for each gravesite/lot sold. Full payment shall be rendered before interment.

• The sexton and the secretary shall keep records showing the name of the owner(s) of burial rights for each gravesite/lot.

• The use of a gravesite is for the owner or the owner's relatives for interment purposes. A person not a member of the owner's family may be interred with the owner's permission.

• A Certificate of Burial Rights grants to the owner the right and extends this right to his/her heir(s).

• If a Certificate of Burial Rights has been lost or misplaced a substitute certificate may be issued to the owner.

If the owner is deceased then to the person(s) who establishes legal rights to the burial rights. To establish this legal right an affidavit sworn before a notary public must be presented in which the person claiming these rights must identify himself/herself, establish his/her rights, and state that no other party has prior or equal rights. The secretary shall have the right to rely on the statements contained therein and issue a substitute burial certificate for the unoccupied gravesite(s). The person making the affidavit shall be responsible for any errors or omissions in the affidavit.

The owner may designate the gravesite to be reserved for a specific individual if so desired. Designation of such reservation is to be made in writing to the sexton. These designations shall be binding on subsequent owners.

• No remains except those of a human may be interred.

• A concrete or other permanent vault is required for all burials except ashes.

• Ashes are not to be scattered in the Storrs Cemetery. Ashes are to be buried either in a cremation grave or a casket grave under the supervision of the Sexton. No one may bury ashes on their own.

• There shall be only one vault per gravesite however the ashes of one spouse or child, or parent may be interred in a gravesite containing a vault.

• Three urns of ashes may be placed in a gravesite having no vault.

• All graves shall be opened and closed under the supervision of the sexton or a designated person. No interment or removal shall be allowed without a permit issued by the proper governmental authority of the location of the death and with the consent of the sexton.

• Only a contractor authorized by the sexton or superintendent shall make interments or disinterment. Notice of at least forty-eight hours shall be given to the sexton of any desired opening or disinterment.

• There shall be no grave opened nor interment or disinterment made on legal holidays or Sundays unless required for public health reasons or ordered by the sexton.

• Graveside services shall be concluded so the grave can be closed by sundown unless the sexton expressly permits otherwise in consideration of a hardship.

• Monuments (a monument extends above the surface of the ground) or markers (markers are flush with the surface) shall not be set without the approval of the sexton. The sexton may refuse monuments or markers not of appropriate size, material or design.

• Monuments are limited to one, which is centered at the end of a single grave, or in the center of a family lot.

• Markers may be placed over interred ashes or as a foot/headstone at the end of a grave.

• Corner lot markers shall be flush with the ground surface.

• No monument once installed shall be removed from a grave unless approved by the sexton.

• Monuments or markers installed prior to interment may have to be removed in order to open the grave. In this case the expense of moving and resetting the monument or marker will not be included in the cost of the interment, and will be added to the standard charge for an interment. Additionally, if the foundation under the monument has to be removed to open the grave, and subsequently re-made, the plot owner is also responsible for the cost of that replacement. The Association is not responsible for damage to monuments (e.g. if it occurs, in moving them when necessary to open a grave).

The following rules are established to comply with the deed of gift of the Storrs family, to maintain the grounds, and facilitate maintenance.

• Trees, gardens, curbing, fencing, hedging, shrubs, borders, statuary or enclosures of any kind shall not be allowed on or around any gravesite or lot. The association reserves the right, without prior notice, to remove same if so erected, planted, or placed.

• The association reserves the right to remove any tree, shrub, or obstacle on any gravesite or lot that may hinder the opening of graves, the maintenance of the cemetery or in the judgment of the association shall seem undesirable.

• The association reserves the right to restrict and remove any decorations in accordance with these rules. Natural or container plants may be placed within one foot of the base of a monument provided no glass containers or decorations with wires shall be used.

• At the end of the growing season all containers shall be removed, . but may be removed at any time at the discretion of the sexton if the plants are in a state of decay, have died or interfere with mowing.

• Artificial decorations are permitted but will be within one foot of the monument and may be removed if they become discolored, contain wires or glass or interfere with maintenance.

Revision of May, 2017

Questions may be referred to the Sexton or Superintendent whose name may be obtained from the Town Clerk.